Pensioners warned about queuing etiquette as scuffles break out in line for popular Dorset coastal bus

A bus company has been forced to remind elderly passengers about queuing etiquette after complaints of unruly behaviour on one of Britain's most scenic bus services.

Some pensioners armed with their free bus passes have been accused of a lack of manners by "piling" onto the Purbeck Breezer bus in Dorset to get the best seats.

The open-top double decker, which has been nicknamed the Purbeck Wheezer, runs from Bournemouth to the Victorian seaside town of Swanage, which was a popular holiday destination for Enid Blyton, the children's author.

The 12-mile coastal route takes in locations such as Canford Cliffs, Poole Harbour and Sandbanks, where it then boards a chain ferry to reach the picturesque village of Studland and then on to Swanage.

When the doors opened, everyone just piled on and queuing went out the window... there was a definite lack of mannersPurbeck Breezer passenger

The 80-minute service is very popular with holidaymakers, especially the over-65s who can use it for free, and is regularly packed out in good weather.

But there have been reports of incidents of passengers jostling for position when the bus arrives at key stops along the route.

One parent described how her 10-year-old son was nearly "knocked off his feet by elderly folk" boarding the bus while another had to console his five-year-old son when a pensioner beat him to the front seat on the top deck.

Robin Brasher, who is retired, told how one "relatively young OAP" pushed in front of him, but nobody complained as "he was bigger than them".

Two of the flashpoint stops are at the Bournemouth Travel Interchange, where the service starts and where people gather to choose the best seats, and Bournemouth Square, which is close to the resort's hotels.

Morebus, the bus operator, has had to put up large signs at bus stops specifically for Purbeck Breezer passengers that read "keep calm and queue nicely" in response to complaints about a lack of courtesy.

Morebus has erected large signs at bus stops specifically for Purbeck Breezer passengers urging them to 'keep calm and queue nicely'Credit:
Tom Wren/BNPS

Vicki Edwards said she experienced people jumping the queue. She said: "My boys stood aside to let a number of elderly folks on recently. Not one said thank you, one pushed past and almost knocked my 10-year-old over."

One father said: "We waited 20 minutes for the bus as my son wanted to get a good seat upstairs. By the time it arrived, there must have been 40 or 50 passengers, mostly elderly people.

"When the doors opened, everyone just piled on and queuing went out the window. It wasn't rowdy, but there was a definite lack of manners. My son ran upstairs and found the front seats already taken by a couple who had been behind us in the queue."

The open-top double decker runs from Bournemouth to the Victorian seaside town of SwanageCredit:
Tom Wren/BNPS

Most of the reviews for the Purbeck Breezer on TripAdvisor are very favourable, although one passenger described it as "just a day out for old people".

One reviewer on TripAdvisor wrote: "A delightful trip through stunning 'Enid Blyton' countryside...but the popularity of the ride means it is best to start from the terminus and to arrive early in order to get a good seat."

Another customer posted: "My mother and I had to stand for about 1/2 the way because it was packed, she is 86 years old."

A Morebus spokesman said the firm had received comments about a lack of consideration from some of those queuing.